Every automotive historian will tell you that the Ford Model T represents the very basis of the American auto industry. It's the vehicle that changed the way people lived while allowing the U.S. to become a world leader in auto manufacturing (well, except as of late).
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of what is affectionately known as Tin Lizzy, the Model T Ford Club of America is holding the 2008 T-Party -- a year full of special events to pay tribute to the legendary automobile which first saw the light of day in 1908.
The culmination of this centennial was the gathering of some 1,000 Model Ts (still operational) and their proud owners in Richmond, Indiana. They came from every corner of Canada and the United States to take part in the celebration. Hundreds of international journalists were also on hand to capture the significance of this model in the history of the automobile.
The pioneer of all pioneers
While it may not have been the first-ever car to be produced, the Ford Model T is undoubtedly the one that sparked a revolution in personal transportation, the impact of which is still felt today.
Ford's Model T was the first vehicle to be built from an assembly line, which considerably reduced costs and made individual mobility easier. By the way, the original 1908 Model T retailed for about $825.
Nineteen years later, during the final year of production, buyers only had to spend $260 to get their hands on this innovative machine, the new queen of the road. A total of over 15 million units have been manufactured for the U.S. market alone, while an additional 10 million found takers across the world.
Out of the 25 million Model Ts built from 1908 to 1927, it is estimated that up to 500,000 can still be found on American roads. Did you say "reliable?"
Equally remarkable is the fact that the Model T assembly plant was the first to pay workers a guaranteed $5 daily wage, the first to comply with the minimum wage laws and the first to offer a number of aftermarket accessories. I guess you could say that the Model T was the original tuner's car.
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of what is affectionately known as Tin Lizzy, the Model T Ford Club of America is holding the 2008 T-Party -- a year full of special events to pay tribute to the legendary automobile which first saw the light of day in 1908.
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The culmination of this centennial was the gathering of some 1,000 Model Ts (still operational) and their proud owners in Richmond, Indiana. They came from every corner of Canada and the United States to take part in the celebration. Hundreds of international journalists were also on hand to capture the significance of this model in the history of the automobile.
The pioneer of all pioneers
While it may not have been the first-ever car to be produced, the Ford Model T is undoubtedly the one that sparked a revolution in personal transportation, the impact of which is still felt today.
Ford's Model T was the first vehicle to be built from an assembly line, which considerably reduced costs and made individual mobility easier. By the way, the original 1908 Model T retailed for about $825.
Nineteen years later, during the final year of production, buyers only had to spend $260 to get their hands on this innovative machine, the new queen of the road. A total of over 15 million units have been manufactured for the U.S. market alone, while an additional 10 million found takers across the world.
Out of the 25 million Model Ts built from 1908 to 1927, it is estimated that up to 500,000 can still be found on American roads. Did you say "reliable?"
Equally remarkable is the fact that the Model T assembly plant was the first to pay workers a guaranteed $5 daily wage, the first to comply with the minimum wage laws and the first to offer a number of aftermarket accessories. I guess you could say that the Model T was the original tuner's car.
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